Finca’s Lamb Meatballs
Every restaurant usually has a signature dish, one that’s nearly impossible not to order during any visit. The lamb meatballs at Finca, a favorite establishments of ours in Salt Lake City, is a great example of this. Addictive and soul satisfying the dish has a simple construction of flavors in the meatballs that is centered around the incorporation of toasted fennel seeds, golden raisins, and a touch of cinnamon. The spices and sweetness of the raisins subtly and harmoniously complaint the lamb which is then dressed with a roasted piquillo pepper tomato sauce. Shave some aged manchego on top and you’ve got meatballs that challenge any glutton’s self restraint…if there is such a thing.
So with the intention of spreading good eats, the following is our recreation of Finca’s Lamb Meatballs that is largely based off our own taste buds.
Enjoy!
The Necessities:
Lamb Meatballs
- 2 lbs ground lamb (finer the grind the better)
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1 garlic clove (mashed to a paste)
- Zest of one lemon
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
- Olive oil
- 1/2-1 tsp of salt and pepper (roughly)
- Manchego cheese (grated)
Piquillo Peppers Tomato Sauce
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
- 1 can tomato sauce (15 ounces)
- 10 ounces of roasted piquillo peppers (plus/minus a 1-2 ounces)
- Pinch of cinnamon
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
- Toast up the fennel seeds and then grind them in a mort and pestle.
- While the fennel seeds are toasting, soak the golden raisins in hot water.
- Toss the ground lamb, eggs, lemon zest, fennel, garlic, salt and pepper into a large bowl.
- Time to get crazy…add that cinnamon.
- Shrubbery is highly encouraged, so add some parsley to the bowl.
- Drain the water from the raisin and toss em into the bowl as well.
- Get your hands dirty and thoroughly combine the ingredients together.
- Roll the spiced lamb up into roughly 1 inch sized balls and place on a greased roasting pan or cookie sheet.
- Drizzle with some olive oil and cook the meatballs for 30-35 minutes in a 400 degree oven.
- While the meatballs are cooking take a few minutes to make the sauce. Add the tomatoes, sauce, peppers, and cinnamon to food processor. Hit that puree button and let the magic happen. Sample the sauce adding salt and pepper to taste and additional peppers if the sauce is too tomatoey.
- Shortly before the meatballs are ready heat up the sauce.
- Meatballs are ready when browned with an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.
- Plate the meatballs and sauce, covering with a heavy shaving of manchego and garnished with parsley.
Copyright © sports-glutton.com, 2010-2013. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from sports-glutton.com is strictly prohibited.
Fantastic and very original dish! I love lamb, sometimes make lamb meatballs, but I would have never thought of combining all these ingredients together.
Thanks Sissi. Hope you’re able to try these and enjoy them!
Definitely have to make these.
Mandy
They look amazing! I never though about baking the meatballs, I always use the pan to brown then a little and then allow then cook thoroughly with the sauce. I like your method, is a lot less messy…
Thanks for sharing!
I tend to be a fairly messy cook, but sometimes is good to go simple.
These really do sound good, Jed, with an ingredient list so unlike any I’ve seen or tasted. I would even put aside my dislike for fennel seeds to try these meatballs as the original recipe intended. And without a doubt, I’m making that piquillo peppers sauce. It sounds delicious with just the right amount of spice — which isn’t much at all.
.
The fennel in the meatball won’t bit…I promise and that sauce is indeed worthy of using for multiple dishes.
This sounds wonderful, Jed, and some of your components remind me of some Sicilian meatballs we had in a restaurant a long time ago, though they weren’t made with lamb. I’d really like to try making these for my husband…he LOVES meatballs and I imagine the flavors are out of this world!
These were the most uniquely seasoned meatballs we’d ever had and their officially on our usual to make list. Oh so good.
I would love a plate of this right now…and it’s only 9:45am here! So that says alot. I have never tried lamb meatballs, but after looking at yours and the ingredients, I am ALL IN!
It’s never too early for meatballs.
Thanks Geni!
I love lamb. Adding raisins, fennel and cinnamon sounds wonderful. I can only imagine the aroma in your kitchen as the meatballs were cooking. Wow.
mmmm yes it was good.
Yum, I really love all of the ingredients in this dish Jed. And I absolutely LOVE your measuring spoons. What a tasty recipe for such a cold winter day.
Thanks Eva and I believe the measuring spoons are made by Ganz.
One word “mouthwatering”
The lamb meatballs and sauce sound wonderful. Piquillo peppers seem to be either regular or sweet…which did you use?
Thanks Karen and we used regular peppers in the sauce.
One of the most delicious meals I’ve ever eaten in my life (really!) involved lamb meatballs, so I’m already sold on these. They look absolutely fantastic! Hope you’re having a fab weekend and getting excited about the big game next weekend!
We’re be fans of lamb ourselves and these were phenomenal. Thanks Amy!
Raisins in your balls. I like it!